1st 100 years, pa theta, 4th edition, illustrated

7/27/2019 1st 100 Years, PA Theta, 4th Edition, Illustrated

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The First 100 Years

of

Pennsylvania Theta Chapter

of

Phi Delta Theta Fraternity

Chartered April 23, 1904 Installed May 10, 1904

4th

Edition, March 2014

Original research and material by:

Richard S. Pirrotta 87 (Bond #1140) and Ronald L. Forrest 88 (Bond #1125)

Editing and additional research and material by:

Thomas L. Smith 54 (Bond #564)


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1904 Charter of Pennsylvania Theta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity

1921 Campus FraternitiesClockwise from bottom-right: Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, Alpha Zeta, Sigma Chi

Center: Phi Gamma Delta


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Note: The text below was originally printed in the dinner programfor Pennsylvania Theta's Golden Anniversary celebration

October 16-17, 1954.

THE FOUNDER

Irving Lysander Foster

July 4, 1870 June 1, 1929

Born in Washington, D.C. on the 4thof July,

1870, Irving Lysander Foster was initiated into

Phi Delta Theta by the chapter at Brown

University (RI Alpha). He graduated from

Brown with the degree of Bachelor of Science,class of 1893, and obtained his Master's degree

from Brown in 1894. Following a year devoted

to advanced studies in Germany, he came to The

Pennsylvania State College in 1895 as an

instructor in Romance Languages. In time, he

became Professor of Romance Languages and

was awarded the degree of Doctor of Literature

by Susquehanna University. He was also a

member of Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, andSigma Iota.

His name was Irving L. Foster, but to all of

"his boys," he was "Frenchy," a name bestowed

without any hint of disrespect. Rather, it was a

term of endearment, of love and friendliness for

a noble and sincere man, a man who loved God

and his fellow men.

Those whose great privilege it was to come

under his kindly supervision during the first

twenty-five years of the Pennsylvania Theta

chapter of Phi Delta Theta, when he served so

faithfully as Chapter Advisor, would neverforget him. They would never forget his ready

smile, the handgrip that was quick as a flash, or

his concern for their welfare and that of the

Chapter.

On May 10, 1929, on the Silver Anniversary

of the granting of Pennsylvania Theta's charter

and its first chapter initiations, a testimonial

dinner was planned in his honor at the chapterhouse. A silver trophy was made ready and the

dinner was held, but "Frenchy" was unable to

attend because of illness. Three weeks later, he

was gone, but never to be forgotten as the man

whose memory is deeply cherished as

THE FATHER OF

PENNSYLVANIA THETA


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Irving Lysander "Frenchy" Foster

Born: July 4, 1870, Washington D.C. Died: June 1, 1929, State College PA

Father: Publius Darwin Foster Mother: Amanda Elizabeth Warren

Professional Credits

Charter Member:

The Literary Club (The Pennsylvania StateCollege)

The University Club (The Pennsylvania StateCollege)

Member:

Phi Delta Theta (RI Alpha Chapter, BrownUniversity)

Phi Beta Kappa Phi Kappa Phi

Phi Sigma Iota American Association of University Professors

American Association of Teachers of Spanish

American Association for the Advancement ofScience

National Education AssociationState and National Modern Languages Association

Published Texts:

Foundations of French: Arranged for Beginners in

Preparatory Schools and Colleges (1901)A French Reader: Arranged for Beginners in

Preparatory Schools and Colleges (1903)

Elementary French (1907

Elementary French: The Essentials of FrenchGrammar with Exercises (1922)

World War I Military Service:

Served as Educational Director and FrenchInstructor, Camp Hancock, GA

AuthoredPractical French Conversationbookletused extensively by American soldiers in WorldWar I

Sponsored Organizations:

Pennsylvania Theta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta,The Pennsylvania State College

Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) The Cosmopolitan Club

Education and Academic Positions

Brown University:

Bachelor's Degree1893

Graduate studies and French instructor1893-94

Master's Degree1894

The Pennsylvania State College Instructor Romance Languages, 1895 Assistant Professor

Professor Department Head, Romance Languages

Susquehanna University

Doctoral Degree, Literature1915

Communi ty Service

Worked extensively on behalf of his church andthe YMCA

Contributed 8.1 acres of land, along withcommunity leader John Laird Holmes, for use asState College's first public park


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The First 100 Years

of

Pennsylvania Theta Chapter

of

Phi Delta Theta Fraternity

PROLOGUE: 18551900In 1855, Penn State was founded as The Farmers'High School of Pennsylvaniain what would later,in 1896, become the Borough of State College.

In 1874, the institution was renamed ThePennsylvania State College, when the stateappropriated to it the income from the proceedsof the Morrell Act's national land grants. Thus,PSC became, along with Michigan State College,one of the first two Land Grant institutions in theUnited States.

1882

State College from Main BuildingTowerThis photo is from the collection of

Dr. E. H. Coleman, Sr., father of Brother

Ernest H. Coleman, Jr. 53 (Bond #559)

College buildings on campus prior to 1900 wereMain Building [razed in 1929 and replaced bythe 1stOld Main], Mechanical Arts [later theinitial Main Engineering Building], BotanicalLaboratory [later, Old Botany and presently(2004) the oldest campus building], Chemistryand Physics Building [later Walker Laboratory

across Pollock Road from McAllister Hall],Armory, Ladies Cottage, Schwab Auditorium,Agricultural Experiment Station [next to present-day (2004) Armsby Building], and Track House[adjacent to original Beaver Field, which wasbehind present-day Davey and OsmondLaboratories (site of the earlier red-brick WalkerLaboratory) and across Pollock Road from the

present-day McAllister Building.]

At one time, freshman students were required topromise not to join any secret fraternity, but Greeklife came to Penn State in 1872 when Delta TauDelta was formed. However, that chapter ran intomuch faculty opposition, including Penn StatePresident Calder's opinion that fraternities were

"corrupting and mischievous," and it was forced todisband after a short time.

Fraternities eventually came to stay, whenPresident George Washington Atherton, aftertaking office in 1882, finally changed his mindabout fraternities, believing they had matured.Urged by students to convince the trustees tolift their ban, he replied, "Young men, I havefound that the best time to set a hen is when thehen wants to be set."

1889Phi Gamma Delta

In 1888, Phi Gamma Delta members resided in alarge, frame house facing Beaver Avenue at thecorner of Allen Street, with a tennis court in therear. The wrap-around porch afforded a magnificentview of the very small Penn State campus.[Note: In the 1930s, the Phi Gamma Delta structurewas moved to the rear of the property nearest to

Highland Avenue (now Alley) and rotated 90to

face Allen Street instead of Beaver Avenue. It wasfaced with stone and continues to be occupiedtoday (2004). The relocation was done to permitconstruction of a new commercial building by

Harold Griffith, Sr., whose sons Harold "Sonny"Griffith, Jr. '45 (Bond #421) and John Griffith '50(Bond #501) would later become Phis at PA Theta.From the late 1940s to the 1990S, the GriffithBuilding was home to "Kaye's Korner," State

College's first convenience store.]


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At the same time, the trustees also recognized apragmatic solution to Penn State's need for bothadditional housing and additional social facilities,and approved Atherton's January1888recommendation that Phi Gamma Delta bepermitted to charter a fifteen-member chapter.

This was then followed by Beta Theta Pi in thesame year, QTV [a secret Latin-letter society,which later became Phi Kappa Sigma] in 1890,Sigma Chi, Kappa Sigma, and Sigma AlphaEpsilon in 1892, and Phi Sigma Kappa in 1899.

1896State CollegeAllen St. (center) and Pugh St.

(left), with Frenchy Fosters home facingBeaver Ave. at corner with Pugh St.

Beta Theta Pi had built its first chapter house in

1888 "almost out of town" in the 300 block ofEast College Avenue. In 1895, they constructedtheir second homea stately, elegant, Victorianstructureon campus [between the south end ofpresent-day (2004) Deike Building and just northof Reber (Mechanical Engineering) Building].

1895Beta Theta Pi

A reestablished Delta Tau Delta chapter occupieda house directly across Allen Street from PhiGamma Delta [later, the second location for the

State College Post Office and an even later site ofSchlow Memorial Library]. From the combinationof the fraternity's initials, its downtown location,and its members' reputations, brothers of "DTD"acquired the nickname "Downtown Drunks."

19011910Several attempts prior to 1900 had been made toestablish a chapter of Phi Delta Theta, but all ofthem failed. However, in September of 1902,Brother Carl S. Forkum (PA Gamma, Washington& Jefferson) transferred into the sophomore classand the matter was again addressed.

Brother Phis on the Penn State faculty at that timeincluded Assistant Professor of RomanceLanguages Irving L. "Frenchy" Foster (RI Alpha,Brown '93), The Reverend C. T. Aikens (PA Beta,

Gettysburg '86), and Levi P. Wyman (ME Alpha,Colby '86). They met with Brother Forkum, andafter much deliberation it was decided that Forkumshould begin recruiting young men suitable foreventual membership in a new chapter of Phi DeltaTheta.

Many meetings were held in Frenchy Foster'srelatively modest home, built around 1890.Referred to as one of the residential boasts ofthe town, it was only slightly less magnificentthan either the 1877 home of Professor William

Buckhout, directly across Beaver Avenue, orthe 1880 home of Penn State physicist I. T."Thorny" Osmond, diagonally across theintersection on the present-day (2004) site ofSigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

1959

Residence of Irving L. FrenchyFoster


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[Note: In the late 1940s, the street-level floorof Frenchy's home housed Harry "Peanuts"Morrell's candy, peanuts, and popcornbusiness and still later become Sally's

Sandwich Shop. Sally's employees can befondly remembered by members of all

fraternities of the 1950s, including hungryPhis, as the deliverers of late-nightsandwiches and snacks. In the PA Theta

chapter house, they announced their presenceup through the open three-story stairwellwith a shrill cry of "Sal-lees." At that sametime, the basement of Frenchy's house wasoccupied by The Cave, a working man's bar.

Frenchy's classic home was later demolished,and the site is now (2004) occupied by State

College's Pugh Street municipal parkinggarage.]

In February 1903, Brother John Dallas (PA Eta,Lehigh '03), entered Penn State as a specialstudent in Mechanical Engineering and becameinterested in the movement to establish a chapterof Phi Delta Theta. On April 21, 1903, Dallas andForkum, along with nine already pledged men,banded together as a society under the name ofDelta Chi Society and with an avowed purpose ofobtaining a charter from Phi Delta Theta.

A constitution defining the objects of the Delta

Chi Society was adopted on April 28, 1903, andsigned by the following eleven men: Class of 1904John Dallas (PA Eta, Lehigh),

Ralph W. Bowers, Thomas J. Bryson,Norman G. Miller, and Paul O. Noble

Class of 1905Leroy W. Cooper, Carl S.Forkum (PA Gamma, W&J), and Robert G.Lose

Class of 1906Clyde E. Culp, H. B. Etter,and William McCleary.

Raised in New York, Ohio, West Virginia,

Maryland, and Pennsylvania, they bought strongacademic desires, well developed social skills,and the determination to create a long lastingsociety that would last well beyond theirgraduation from The Pennsylvania State College.

A ritual containing the secret work, opening andclosing ceremonies, and the order of proceedingsfor the meetings was adopted on May 5, 1903.During that same month, letters were written to

all seven Pennsylvania chapters of Phi Delta Theta,requesting approval of Delta Chi as a new chapterof Phi Delta Theta. Replies were favorable and thepetition for a Phi Delta Theta charter was signedand submitted on June 16, 1903 by the originaleleven Delta Chi members.

Meetings were held in the Main Building [later,Old Main] room of John Dallas and WilliamMcCleary until October 7, 1903, when theDelta Chi Society, with a three-year rentalcontract, moved into a house at the corner ofBeaver Avenue and Frazier [now, Fraser]Street.

1903

This house was owned by The Reverend C. T.

Aikens (PA Beta, Gettysburg '86), pastor of theLutheran Church in Pine Grove Mills (fivemiles west of State College) and was acrossFrazier Street from the Presbyterian Churchattended by "Frenchy" Foster. It was beingvacated by Sigma Alpha Epsilon (nicknamed"Sleep and Eat" because of its initials, SAE),which was moving to its new house directlyacross Beaver Avenue from the Phi GammaDelta chapter house. Later, that SAE housebecame the Allencrest Tea Room and waseventually demolished to construct Danks

Department Store.[Note: The initial PA Theta chapter house atBeaver Avenue and Frazier Street (now, FraserStreet) was later purchased by the StateCollege Presbyterian Church and razed in the1980s to permit the construction of an on-gradeparking lot. In 2004, a municipal parking

garage was being designed to be built on thatlot and several adjacent properties on BeaverAvenue and Fraser Street.]


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Upon returning in the fall of 1903, the Delta Chibrothers began work on obtaining their Phi DeltaTheta charter. Perley O. Ray (VT Alpha, '98) hadbecome a new member of the Penn State facultyand, upon learning of Delta Chi's intention to

affiliate with Phi Delta Theta, he immediatelybecame involved in the chapter's activities. Arush program was conducted and eight men werepledged and initiated into Delta Chi. They were:

Class of 1905H. R. Geib

Class of 1906W. R. Fleming

Class of 1907J. C. Cosgrove, W. G.Felmeth, C. R. Garrett, J. S. Keller,F. 0. Leitzell, and H. K. Dimelow

On November 26, 1903, at the Alpha ProvinceConvention in Syracuse, Delta Chi Society's

petition for a Phi Delta Theta charter received theunanimous endorsement of the attendingdelegates.

Two Delta Chi members left Penn State inJanuary 1904: J. S. Keller, to attend medicalschool in New York City; and WilliamMcCleary, to enter Lehigh University, wherehe was initiated into Phi Delta Theta by PAEta on February 19, 1904.

On April 23, 1904, Delta Chi Society's petition

was submitted to the members of Phi DeltaTheta's General Council, who ratified it withoutdissent, although 13 other petitions were deniedduring the same session. On May 10, 1904,sixteen members of the Delta Chi Society wereinitiated as brothers of Pennsylvania ThetaChapter of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. Theceremony was conducted by Phi Delta ThetaGeneral Council President A. M. McCrillis(Brown '97), assisted by Irving L. "Frenchy"Foster.

Those PA Theta charter members and their Bondnumbers were:

#1 Leroy Warrick Cooper '05#2 Clyde Emanuel Culp '06#3 Robert Graham Lose '05#4 Ralph Waldo Bowers '04#5 Norman Grunawalt Miller '04#6 Thomas Junk Bryson '04#7 Paul Olin Noble '04#8 Charles Rudolph Garrett '07

#9 Wilhelm Gotthart Felmeth '07#10 Howell Reiff Geib '05#11 William Reynolds Fleming '06#12 Frank Octave Leitzell '07#13 John C. Cosgrove '07#14 Harry Kempfield Dimelow '07

#15 Robert Morris Carson '06#16 George J. Bailey '07

Three of the four Phis of the class of '04 graduatedwith honors at The Pennsylvania State College'sspring commencement ceremonies.

On October 14, 1904, papers were filed in the Courtof Common Pleas, Bellefonte PA, for theincorporation and perpetual existence of "ThePennsylvania Theta Chapter of the Phi Delta ThetaFraternity." The initial corporate directors were

Irving L. Foster, C. T. Aikens, Perley O. Ray, LeviP. Wyman, and Norman G. Miller

In addition to all the chapter's charter members,other PA Theta Phis who signed the articles ofincorporation included Walter Y. Heaton 06 (Bond#17), Howard P. Dawson 07 (Bond #18), Ralph J.Smith 07 (Bond #19), Charles F. Hirst 08 (Bond#20), Frank V. McConkey 08 (Bond #21), DurbinL. Gray 08 (Bond #22), Bourdon W. Scribner 08(Bond #23), Donald M. Scott 08 (Bond #24), andRaymond P. Swenk 07 (Bond #25).

Carnegie Library was dedicated in November 1904by Pennsylvania Governor Pennypacker, with Mrs.Pennypacker, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Carnegie, andMr. and Mrs. Charles Schwab in attendance.Intending to replace Penn State's existing two-roomlibrary in Main Building, Penn State trusteeAndrew Carnegie had offered to provide $100,000[approximately $2 million in 2004 dollars]for thebuilding if the Pennsylvania legislature agreed to anannual appropriation of $10,000 [approximately$100,000 in 2004 dollars] for all library expenses,

including maintenance and expansion of itscollections. This condition was not met, althoughCarnegie contended "It is a duty which the stateowes to its bright young men who attend the collegeof their own state, instead of going to other statesfor their education."

President Atherton and General Beaver, thenrespectively the secretary and president of PennStatesBoard of Trustees, urged the General


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Assembly to agree, but the legislature did notwant to be bound in perpetuity. It also believed$10,000 was too much. Ultimately, Carnegieaccepted a $5,000 annual allocation.[Note: Carnegie Library remained as PennState's library until the opening of Pattee Library

in 1941. It was then converted for use by theMusic Department. Later, it was used by theSchool of Journalism, the Daily Collegian, and is

the present-day (2004) home of the College ofCommunications.]

In 1904, McAllister Hall was opened as anacademic building and dormitory.[Note: In 1915, McAllister Hall wasconverted into a women's dormitory and still

later served as a staff office building and thelocation of the University Park campus post

office, a State College post office substation.]

Eight men were pledged to PA Theta from the1904 fall semester rush. Chapter enrollment thenstood at twenty-one. Phis were very involved inschool activities, including representation on thefootball, baseball, basketball, and track teamsplus various clubs, including yearbook,newspaper, thespians, and choir. Their schoolspirit was also shown by strong participation inSenior Ball and several informal dinners foralumni and faculty.

Penn State, in a new and friendlier atmospheretoward Greeks, concluded that it would serve itsown interests if some fraternities were located oncampus proper. As a result, on itsPlat ofFraternity Lots and Proposed Avenues, datedSeptember 23, 1904, Penn State designated sevenbuilding lots on campus for fraternities.

1904 Plat of Fraternity Lotsand Proposed Avenues

The plat showed seven lots on the west side of whatis now North Burrowes Road), with three lots southand four lots north of another what is now PollockRoad. The plat also showed the locations ofLibrary (now Carnegie Building), Auditorium(now Schwab Auditorium), and Armory.

Included is the location of Beta Theta Pis 1895Victorian chapter house, across Burrowes Roadfrom its 1929 chapter house.

On December 15, 1905, Fraternity Lot #30.544 acres and measuring 148 feet (frontage)by 160 feet (depth)on Burrowes Road[alongside then-unbuilt and unnamed PollockRoad], was purchased from Penn State "for andin consideration of the sum of one dollar" and

"for the express purpose of erecting thereon afraternity or chapter house for the use of the

members of The Pennsylvania Theta Chapter ofthe Phi Delta Theta Fraternity at thePennsylvania State College."

Penn States student enrollment for the 1905 fallsemester was 721, a slight increase over 1904.

In his submission to the 1906-07 issue of TheScrollof Phi Delta Theta,Brother Fleming wrote: Thehouse occupies a beautiful spot on the campus, on astreet laid out by the college for the exclusive use of

fraternities.Regarding Penn States right, as

written in the deed, to repurchase the lot if its useby the fraternity ceased, he also stated: This,however, gives us no alarm, for the lot is situatedon a portion of the campus which will never be

needed for college buildings.

The property deed was recorded in Centre CountyDeed Book #95, Page 142.[Note: Execution of the deed involved three PennState and State College personalities who, in lateryears, would be held in extremely high esteem.

General James A. BeaverThe deed was

signed by General Beaver, for whom PennState's original Beaver Fieldacross PollockRoad from present-day (2004) HUB-RobesonCenterhad already been named, and whosename would carry over to both New Beaver

Fieldadjacent to The Nittany Lion InnandBeaver Stadium. Born in Bellefonte, GeneralBeaver had been governor of Pennsylvania from1887 to 1891 and was President ofPenn StatesBoard of Trustees in 1905.


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George Washington AthertonAs boardsecretary, the deed was attested to byPresident Atherton. Within 10 daysbyChristmasPresident Atherton resigned due

to poor health. He had been unable to performmany of his duties during 1905 and he passed

away on July 24, 1906. General Beaver thenassumed the position of acting president untilDr. Edwin E. Sparks, was elected president in1908.

John Laird HolmesThe deed was notarizedby John Laird Holmes. In 1889, Holmes hadbeen hired as State College's first public

school teacher. He later became a prominentState College businessman, tax collector, real

estate developer, burgess (mayor),Pennsylvania assemblyman (Representative),and community leader.

In 1926, John Laird Holmes and "Frenchy"

Foster would donate 8.1 acres of land to theBorough of State College for the creation ofHolmes-Foster Park, the town's first public park

and playground. The local weekly newspaper,The Times, reported, "Mr. Holmes and Dr. Foster

felt the need of such a park some time ago andlaid plans to establish one. The extension is in

one of the prettiest groves in the vicinity of Statecollege, and supports a heavy growth of fineoak." The conditions of the gift were that the park

should not be used for camping, nor should anydance halls be established on or near it. Holmes-

Foster Park was officially opened on July 1,1927, with a ceremony and a parade.]

Construction of the PA Theta chapter house wasstarted in the fall of 1905 and was completed in1906. The main structure measured 45 feet by 58feet and consisted of a full basement, three floorsabove grade, and an attic. The kitchen wing, atthe southwest-rear-corner of the house, containeda basement Commissary, a first-floor Kitchen, a

Pantry between the Kitchen and the Dining Room(Social Room), and a comfortable second-floorapartment for a live-in servant (cook). Accessto the apartment was by an interior stairwaybetween the Kitchen and the Pantry and over thestairway to the Commissary.

In the bi-level basement of the main structure, thehouse also had an unfinished room with a cornerfireplace plus a boiler room with a soft-coal-fired

steam boiler and coal bin. At the lowest level of thebasement, several steps further down, were twomore rooms, one designated as the Chapter Roomwith a corner fireplace.

The chapter house cost close to $12,000

[approximately $240,000 in 2004 dollars] to buildand was designed to accommodate twentymembers. A mortgage of $5,000 [approximately$95,000 in 2004 dollars], dated July 2, 1906, wasacquired to cover some of the construction costs.

The exterior was faced with red brick withbrown sandstone trimmings, and the mainstructure had a twelve-foot-wide wrap-aroundwood veranda (porch) on three sides with acover (roof) supported by 14 sets of eitherdouble or triple columns placed on heavy

brown sandstone pedestals. The over-all designof the house had been greatly influenced by thefamily home of charter member Clyde EmanuelCulp '06 in York Pa. The house was heated bysteam and lighted by electricity. As noted onthe design plans, the first floor of the house

contained a Reception Hall (Foyer), aDining Room, a combination Library-Smoking Room, a Music Room, and aParlor [later known as the card room, thePete Stuart Room, and the pool room].


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RECEPTION HALLLooking from the Dining Room French doors

DINING (Social) ROOMLooking from the Pantry

The Dining Room, or Social Room, ran thelength of the south side of the building with threesets of French doors opening onto the coveredveranda.

All first floor rooms, except the Dining Room,

had a fireplace in their interior corners.

Two sets of folding French doors in recessedpockets were in the wall between the DiningRoom and both the Reception Hall and theLibrary-Smoking Room.

LIBRARY-SMOKING ROOMLooking from the Dining Room French doors

MUSIC ROOMLooking into Parlor (left) and into

Library-Smoking Room (right)

PARLORLooking from Reception Hall


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The second and third floors each contained fivetwo-room suites. Each suite included a studyroom and a bedroom and was intended to beoccupied by only two members. The study roomsaveraged almost 200 sq. ft. each, while thebedrooms were slightly smaller.

The servants (cooks) apartment had two small(85 sq. ft.) rooms, each with a closet, plus a fullbathroom with tub. Although it wasnt spacious,it was a great employment benefit, and it waswell appreciated by each cook who occupied itover the next 70 or so years.

A small "widow's walk" with a banisterrailing and a flag pole graced the top of theroof.

1906

[Note: At this time (1906), the present-day (2004)site of West Halls to the northeast of the chapterhouse was a fruit-tree orchard, planted 50 yearsearlier by Professor of Horticulture William G.

Waring, the grandfather of Fred Waring of latermusical fame with his "Pennsylvanians" chorale

and orchestra.

There were only a few farm structures farther west

and northwest of the chapter house, including theold college barn. The barn had been built on thesite of present-day Carnegie Building, but was latermoved to the approximate location of present-dayNoll Laboratory, just south of the Rec Hall

complex. The barn was designed by FrederickWatts, who was elected as president of Penn State's

first board of trustees in 1855 when The Farmer'sHigh School was chartered.

After being damaged in a fire, the barn was rebuiltat its new location toward the end of the 19th

century, but was demolished in the 1920s duringconstruction of Penn State's first golf course.]

During the fall of 1905, the Sigma Chi house intown had a severe fire. Its alumni organization thenacquired Fraternity Lot #4, the next lot north of PaThetas and separated by space retained for a futureextension of Pollock Road, which then ended atBurrowes Road. Sigma Chi built their new chapter

house on Lot #4, thus establishing "The MiamiTriad"Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, and SigmaChias close neighbors.[Note: Around 1920, Alpha Zeta purchasedFraternity Lots #6 and #7, the two smallest lots justbelow Rec Hall. In 1925, Sigma Nu purchased Lot

#5.]

PA Theta housed 22 brothers and pledges in 1906,tying with Kappa Sigma. With 24, Sigma AlphaEpsilon had the most. All eight fraternities at PennState had houses, but only Phi Delta Theta, Beta

Theta Pi, Sigma Chi, and Phi Gamma Delta ownedtheir houses.

In December 1906, "Frenchy" Foster was amongthe financial backers of the community's firstnatural ice vendor, Hillside Ice Company, on theAbe Markle farm in Scotia, an area less than 10miles west of State College which, half a centurybefore, had provided the world's finestphosphorous-free iron ore for Andrew Carnegie's


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new Bessemer steel process.[Note: Later, in 1913, "Frenchy" Foster soldsome of his extensive land holdings at the end ofNorth Patterson Streetthe present-day (2004)

site of Nittany Beverage Companyfor theconstruction of Hillside's new manufactured-ice

plant. Hillside, later operating under the name ofCold Inc., would continue ice production andfreezer rental services at the same site until the

late 1950s.]

A spring house-party started to become an annualevent in 1907. Members of Phi Delta Theta alsoattended the Terpsichorean Club danceunderGreek sponsorshipin McAllister Hall and wereconsistently the best fraternity represented.[Note: A fraternity House Party was defined asbeing a dining and dancing weekend when the

brothers hometown girlfriends would beimported and would stay in the chapter housewhile the brothers found sleeping

accommodations elsewhere.]

In 1907, by order of the General Council of PhiDelta Theta, PA Theta's original Bond book wasreturned to headquarters to be eventually placedin the vault of the Memorial Library of MiamiUniversity, Oxford Ohio. A substitute Bond bookwas prepared with a handwritten copy of "TheBond of the Phi Delta Theta." All names of the

first 51 brothers of PA Theta were copied into thenew Bond book, which John Wolfe Lindley (OHAlpha, 1850) as sole surviving founder of PhiDelta Theta, hadon March 30, 1907attestedto its authenticity by his signature, and whichcontained the following certification:

"This is to certify that the Bond of Phi DeltaTheta as transcribed in the following pagesof this book is an exact copy of the originalBond, unaltered and unalterable, whichformed the basis of union of the original

chapter, Ohio Alpha, and of all chapters

subsequently established."

Paul Brown Cosgrove (PA Eta, Lehigh), brotherof charter member John C. Cosgrove, Sr.,transferred to Penn State and affiliated with PATheta.

1908 -- Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi[The activity was a horse show and/or sale on the

present-day (2004) site of Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji)]

Penn States student enrollment for the 1908 fallsemester was 1,098, a slight increase over 1907.

On September 25, 1908, Howard J. Lamade '12 wasinitiated as a brother of PA Theta (Bond #55).[Note: Brother Lamade, a native of WilliamsportPA, was the son of Dietrick Lamade, the founder of

Grit, which billed itself as "America's GreatestFamily Newspaper" and was published for over100 years. During Howard's business career withGrit, he was very active in Williamsport's civicaffairs and made major contributions to his favorite

organizations. In 2004, Howard J. Lamade Stadium(the prime Little League stadium in SouthWilliamsport), Lamade Gymnasium (at Lycoming

College), and the Howard J. LamadeCommunications Scholarship (at Penn State) all

carry his name.]

In the fall of 1909, Beaver Field [Penn Statesoriginal athletic field between present-dayWhitmore Lab and South Frear Building] wasabandoned and "New Beaver Field" (for footballand track and field) was opened on a site just eastof The Nittany Lion Inn [the site of present-dayNittany Parking Deck]. Eventually, the 17 acrecomplex bordered by The Nittany Lion Inn (west),Park Avenue (north), Allen Road (east), and CurtinRoad (south) held the football and baseball fields, aquarter-mile cinder track, tennis courts, soccerfield, and lacrosse field. An outdoor swimmingpool was also built, doubling as an ice hockey rinkin the winter.


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19111920

1910 - Western Portion of Campus[As depicted in a birds-eye-viewwatercolor

by artist Richard Rummell]

By this time, the fraternity community at PennState had grown to nine nationals, three locals,and three scientific societies. IndustrialEngineering was added to the curriculum, makingPenn State the founder of this branch ofengineering.

1910

The university continued to grow as it entered thesecond decade of the 20th Century. Over 1500students were enrolled in the fall of 1910.

Attendance had doubled at Penn State since thechartering of PA Theta, only six years before.The faculty had increased, and in this manner,Hugh Baker (MI Beta, '01, Michigan AgriculturalCollege) [later Michigan State College and thenMichigan State University] joined the school asthe head of the Forestry Department in 1911.

While football continued to be the main athleticattraction, other sports were performing well.

Wrestling became an inter-collegiate sport at PennState in 1910. Phis held positions on the football,basketball, and track teams, and the baseball teamhad a tremendous year. As Victor Egbert '12 (Bond#58) reported in PA Theta's newly publishedalumni newsletter, "In spite of the fact that the

number of cripples on the team was large, victorieswere gained over Cornell, Navy, Lehigh, Fordham,and Bucknell."

By 1913, Greek representation at Penn State hadincreased to 16 national fraternities. Campusbuildings and facilities were being added, includinga wireless telegraph tower, and the President'shouse was relocated to be near Carnegie Library.Pennsylvania Day [probably the precursor toHomecoming] continued to be a festive occasion,giving rise to annual parties at PA Theta.

The brothers were also busy maintaining their newhouse. Chandeliers replaced single-globe lights onthe first-floor, hedges were planted around theveranda (porch), and china embossed with the PhiDelta Theta crest was purchased for use on specialoccasions.

1913 House Party


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PA Theta Phis were well represented within thePenn State community beyond athletics.Activities and clubs consisted of La Vie, studentcouncil, glee club, Pharsonians, Parmi Nousathletic society, Thespians, and Lion's Paw seniorsociety, of which Louie Cuthbert '11 (Bond #68)

was a member.

In 1915, Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji) constructed itspresent-day (2004) house at the corner ofBurrowes Road and Pollock Road, diagonallyacross the intersection from PA Theta.[Note: How the property, not included in the1904 Plat of Fraternity Lots, was obtained is not

known, but it may have been at the urging and theinfluence of Fiji Brother Hummel Fishburn (then

professor, later Blue Band director).]

World War I came to Penn State with Congress'spassage of the National Defense Act of 1916 andthe establishment of a Reserve Officer TrainingCorps (ROTC) on campus. Even though the warhad been raging in Europe since 1914, the U.S.had attempted to stay neutral. However, a seriesof attacks on merchant ships slowly forced thehand of President Woodrow Wilson, and theUnited States entered the war in April 1917.Following creation of the Student Army TrainingCorps (SATC), under which every physicallyqualified male college student nationwide was

enrolled, all fraternities at Penn State wereconverted to barracks to house them. Several PATheta Phis lost their lives in WWI; KirbyBaldwin Sleppy '11 (Bond #54), Percy McGrewGerwig '20 (Bond #141), and Harry BanksMauger '20 (Bond #131).

A walk-in shower was installed in Pa Thetassecond floor bathroom, replacing the singlebathtub, which had been used by 20 or morestudents ever since 1906.

On January 12, 1918, H. L. "Pete" Stuart '20 wasinitiated (Bond #152), and on September 30,1918, Frederick Boyer Huston '22 was initiated(Bond #159).

On November 23, 1918, twelve days after WorldWar I armistice was signed, a tremendous firedestroyed Main Engineering Building and theadjacent power plant. Built in 1892 and dedicatedin 1893, the architecturally impressive

engineering structure was one of Penn State's mostimportant academic buildings, housing classroomsand laboratories for hundreds of students.

Main Engineering Building FireNovember 25, 1918

Penn State's fire brigadethe Student FireCompany was the first to arrive to fight the fire, butit was a hopeless task. The Student Fire Companywas joined shortly by State College's Alpha FireCompany and other fire fighters from as far awayas Tyrone (30 miles), who helped fight the roaringinferno. Together, they saved all other nearbybuildings, but the campus lost its source of heat andelectric power for days, and classes were canceled

until those utilities could be restored. However,valuable laboratory equipment and manyclassrooms were permanently lost.

Students sitting in front of Old Main

In 1920, the chapter newsletter, The Quarterly, was

formed to be published four times each year, andregular submissions of chapter news were made forinclusion in issues of The Scroll, the generalfraternity's magazine.

On November 23, 1920, J. Calvin Hap Frank 24was initiated (Bond #181). On November 23, 1920,J. Calvin Hap Frank 24 was initiated (Bond#181).


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[Note: Of unique interest is BrotherHapsparticipation on the scholastic football team forHarrisburg Tech in 1919. After a 12-0 season, inwhich the team outscored its opponents by a

cumulative score of 701-0, Tech beat PortlandME 56-0 in a post-season game and claimed the

national scholastic championship. Hap was thestarting tackle, as he had been in 1917 and 1918

when Techs records were almost as illustriousas1919. On that same team was Glenn Killinger,a 125 lb. quarterback who became a 1921 WalterCamp All-American at Penn State after joiningthe football team as a walk-on.

Hap was outstanding as a Penn State footballtackle during two undefeated seasons and played

in Penn States first Rose Bowl appearance (Jan.1, 1923), a 14-3 loss to USC. He also excelled as

a boxer and lacrosse player.

After graduating from Penn State, Hap had anoutstanding military career, where he rose to the

rank of Brigadier General in the U. S. Army andserved admirably in the Asian Theatre ofOperations during World War II.

In 1965, after renovations of the PA Thetachapter house were completed, the new trophy

case in the foyer was dedicated to Brother J.Calvin Hap Frank, and an appropriate brassplate was affixed it.]

19211930By the early part of the 1920s, 47 fraternities had

been chartered and recognized by Penn State, andalmost half of all male students were Greeks,including the vast majority of campus leaders.

Throughout Prohibition, when production andselling of alcohol was illegal, the PA Theta PhiDelts responded with closed parties in the

basements coal room. There, the brothers wouldreminisce, while consuming home-made alcohol.

1922

Dean of Men A. R. Warnock was concerned aboutthe attitude exhibited by many fraternities andwrote, "Their scholarship is not so good, theirchapter management is not so good, and theirattitude toward serious things has been

characterized too greatly by indifference." He feltthat many Greeks were "of the type that has nosustained interest in the better things of college

life" and had an adverse effect on brothers whotook their studies more seriously.

1922 Fraternity RowPhi Delta Theta, Sigma Chi, Alpha Zeta

In support of Dean Warnock's opinion of Greekfraternities, there was ample evidence ofmisconduct during house-party weekends, a

decades-old custom of "importing" home-town girlfriends in lieu of sufficient numbers of Penn Statefemale students to date. Incidents with varyingdegrees of drunkenness, rowdiness, and sexualindiscretions were sufficiently frequent enough tointroduce greater controls by the InterfraternityCouncil (IFC). Also during this same time, thePenn State board of trustees, in an effort todiminish its perception that male students were"girl crazy"Dean Warnock's wordsall


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undergraduates were prohibited from havingautomobiles, except in certain situations.

1923[Front-center is John C. Windy Cosgrove, Sr.

Seated on the ground in front of him isJohn C. Jack Cosgrove, Jr., age 6.

Top row, 6thstanding person from right isIrving L. Frenchy Foster.]

On February 28, 1925, Ralph D. "Cub" Hustonwas initiated (Bond #226).

In 1926, John Laird Holmes and Irving L."Frenchy" Foster donated 8.1 acres of land to theBorough of State College for the creation ofHolmes-Foster Park, the town's first public parkand playground.

By this time, fraternity representation at PennState had increased to 52 national organizations,

the second largest number of Greeks afterUniversity of Illinois.

In 1928, extensive work was performed on thePA Theta physical plant. A three-story (plusbasement) wing was added at the northwesterncorner containing the following much appreciatedamenities on each of the two upper floors: twosmall two-man suites (bedroom and study room);bathroom with multiple toilets and lavatory sinks

and a walk-in shower; and a utility closet forcleaning supplies

The first floor included: coat room, ladies restroom, mens rest room, and guest bedroom. Thebasement of the new wing was used for storage, but

was also used temporarily as a chapter room, whilework was being done on the original chapter room.The wall separating the chapter room and theadjacent storage room in the basement wasremoved to create a larger chapter room, necessarybecause of the increased membership of PA Theta.

To improve the appearance of the temporarychapter room, a large Phi Delta Theta crest waspainted on the floor, thus giving it a nametheCrest Roomused for many decades afterward.[Note: Unfortunately for the integrity of the

original structure, the removed chapter room wallhad been a load-bearing wall. As a result of thisremoval, over the next 80 or so years, the structure

and floors over that area (between the living roomand the dining room) gradually sagged, eventuallycreating some very noticeable out-of-level floors

and ceilings from the first-floor to the third-floor.]

1928

At the same time, the middle of PA Theta's woodenfront veranda (porch) was removed, and a two-storyportico with stately and distinctive Corinthiancolumns was added. The design gave the house amore dramatic and majestic appearance, even

though it clashed somewhat with the remainingportions of the original veranda, which was reallynothing more than a wooden porch.

The wall between the Library-Smoking Room andthe Music Room was removed to form a largeliving room and the two corner fireplaces weremerged into a single fireplace in the middle of theroom. A brass plaque with the following inscriptionwas placed over the fireplace mantle:


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Founded at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio

December 26, 1848By Robert Morrison, John McMillan Wilson,

Robert Thompson Drake, John Wolfe Lindley,Andrew Watts Rogers, Ardivan Walker Rogers

To you we throw the torch, be yours to hold ithigh

Pennsylvania Theta Chapter installed at

Pennsylvania State College May 10, 1904EiV avnp oudeiV avnp

We enjoy life by the help and society of othersThe true member of Phi Delta Theta

exemplifies the Bond

In friendship sincere; as a brother devoted; inhonor aspiring to the noblest culture; with

conduct unblemished; revering God.All for one, one for all.

The $5,000 mortgage from 1906 was satisfied onMay 23, 1929.

To pay for the 1928 construction and renovations,a $10,000 [$108,000 in 2004 dollars] mortgagewas acquired on June 15, 1929, and $19,000[$206,000 in 2004 dollars] worth of bondstobe retired over the next 20 yearswere sold toPA Theta alumni.

1928

In 1929, Beta Theta Pi relinquished its propertyon campus in exchange for Fraternity Lots #1 and#2, directly across Burrowes Road from its 1895chapter house. Lot #2 was reduced by 42 feet offrontage at its northern end, adjacent to PATheta's property (Lot #3), that section of landbeing retained by Penn State for passage to itsfacilities west of both the Beta and Phi Delthouses.

At a general construction cost (not includingmechanical systems) of $125,000 [$1,340,000in 2004 dollars], Beta Theta Pi's third chapterhouse at Penn State was built with classicEnglish manor styling, including lead-glazed

windows. It continues to this day to be one ofthe finest examples of fraternity architecture inthe United States.

The School of Mines and Metallurgy, hadlanguished since its establishment in 1907, andRobert Sackett, Dean of the School of Engineering,wanted to dissolve the school, dividing its curriculabetween the engineering and chemistry-physicsschools. President Ralph Dorn Hetzel rejected thatsuggestion and appointed Edward Steidle, PA Theta'11 (Bond #46), as its new dean. Dean Steidle, a

Williamsport PA native, came from CarnegieInstitute of Technology, where he had reorganizedthe mining engineering curriculum, createdresearch programs, and encouraged miningeducation support by private mining industries.

Eventually, Dean Steidle's reinvigoration of theschool led to studies beyond that of mining,including obtaining important grants for research inthe fields of petroleum and natural gas. His effortsultimately induced the Pennsylvania GeneralAssembly to permit the Pennsylvania Secretary of

Mines to serve as an ex officio Penn State trustee.

At this time, PA Theta alumni corporation officerswere President John C. Windy Cosgrove, Sr. '07(Bond #13), Vice President Al R. Knoch '30 (Bond#252), Secretary Archibald M. Holmes '30 (Bond#249), Treasurer D. M. Bulloch, and DirectorDonald M. Cresswell '18 (Bond #116).

Brother Carl S. Forkum (PA Gamma, Washington& Jefferson), who was instrumental in the foundingof PA Theta, made several visits to the chapter

during Freshman Week, accompanied by hisdaughter, Adelle, who was registering for the classof '33.

On May 24, 1929, a testimonial dinner was held atthe chapter house to honor Irving L. "Frenchy"Foster or, as recounted in the next issue of TheQuarterly,"the Grand Old Man of Penn'a Theta.The Quarterly reported that he had taken ill"following an attack brought about by kidney


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trouble" shortly before that and was unable toattend the dinner.

In appreciation of his untiring service andcommemorating Frenchy's 25 years as PA Theta'sfaithful and only chapter advisor since its

founding, the chapter had prepared a silver trophycup with the following inscription:

Bro Irving L. Fosterfrom Penna. of

in appreciation of25 years of faithful serviceas counselor and advisor

May 24, 1904 to May 24, 1929.

Frenchy was thought to be improving but,tragically for PA Theta, Penn State, and the State

College community, the end came suddenly andFrenchy passed away on June 1, 1929, only eightdays after the dinner held to honor him.

Following Frenchy's death, the July 1929issue of the Penn State Alumni News said ofhim, "One of the oldest members of thefaculty in point of service, Dr. Foster had

been ill little more than a week. His service tothe College extended over a period of 34years. While serious, his illness was notthought to be critical, and death quickly

followed his collapse following exertion.Burial was at Pine Hall [a village one milewest of State College]. Known familiarly toall his former students and associates as'Frenchy,' Dr. Foster through his years ofservice was held in high regard throughout

the entire College community. His activitiesextended far beyond the classroom,especially in the field of religion. His churchand 'Y' work have had a most wholesomeeffect upon the community."

The silver trophy cup was presented to Frenchy'swidow, but during the summer of 1929and asrelated in the next issue of The Quarterly"Mrs.Foster graciously returned the cup to the chapterand it now occupies the place of honor on theliving room mantel, beneath a picture of 'The

Father of Penn'a Theta.'"

In 1929, Main Building was determined to beunfit for continued use. It was demolished and its

replacementOld Main, finished in 1930wasdesigned to use the original stone. This was part ofa four-year building program, begun in 1928, thatincluded the following (in chronological order):Service Building, Recreation Building [Rec Hall],Infirmary, Main Engineering, Grange Dormitory,

an addition to Pond Laboratory, the new Old Main,Mineral Industries, Power Plant, Botany, FrearDorm [now, Jordan], North Liberal Arts, NittanyLion Inn, Dairy and Creamery, and HomeEconomics at a cost of $5.5 million [$60 million in2004 dollars].

The football game with Lafayette College, onOctober 26, 1929, was the prime event for PennState's 10thAnnual Homecoming weekend and,according to The Quarterly, chances for winningthe game were regarded to be "most excellent." The

newsletter also encouraged returning alumni to visitthe many new buildings; Recreation Hall,Infirmary, new dorms, Engineering, Chemistry,Botany, Liberal Arts, and Mineral Industries.Additionally, it commented that "everyone willwant to see Old Main, or where Old Main formerly

stood, for it is down to an open excavation nowwhile contractors are busy pouring new

foundations for the reconstruction."

Pat B. ("Young Windy") Cosgrove, son ofcharter member John C. ("Windy") Cosgrove,

Sr., was initiated into PA Theta on November25, 1929 (Bond #280).

1930 Map of campus; Watercolor byAndrew W. Case, Penn State Professor of Art

19311940Early PA Theta member, Clyde Emanuel Orwig(Bond #30), was expelled on February 27, 1931, forunknown reasons.


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Carson Williams Culp '34, the eldest son ofcharter member Clyde Emanuel Culp, wasinitiated on February 28, 1931 (Bond #294).Clyde Culp, Jr. '38, third oldest son of ClydeEmanuel Culp, was initiated on October 37, 1936

(Bond #354). Thomas Culp '42, youngest son ofClyde Emanuel Culp, was initiated on March 5,1939 (Bond #387). Richard Culp, another Phison, was initiated by MD Alpha, University ofMaryland.

John Dallas, Jr. '35 (Bond #304) and RobertDallas '37 (Bond #326), sons of charter memberJohn Dallas, were initiated on February 27, 1932and March 10, 1934 respectively.

Sometime in the early 1930s, the original

"widow's walk" was removed from the roof of thechapter house, and the roof was lowered,allowing a larger "widow's walk" to beconstructed. The "Penthouse" was established inthe fourth-floor attic as primitive living quarters.

The stock market crash of 1929 had caused theGreat Depression to set in, causing enrollment atPenn Stateand, correspondingly, membershipin fraternitiesto drop significantly.

In contrast to PA Theta's policy of being a self-

enacted "dry house," most fraternities servedliberal amounts of alcohol, but were punished foronly the most blatant violations of school policy.

In 1931, Penn State policy was changed to permitsophomore, junior, and senior coeds to attendunchaperoned fraternity social events on Fridaysand Saturdays. Curfew was 10:00 p.m. forsophomore and junior women and 10:30 p.m. forseniors. However, following frequent abuses ofthis "privilege," Dean Warnock requested actionby IFC. When IFC failed to do so, Dean Warnock

tightened the official Penn State policy to allowwomen in fraternities only at meal times and for amaximum of only two hours.

Twice in the 1930s, "freshman customs" wereeased. By 1937, it was no longer mandatory forall men to wear coats, ties, and black socks whilein class, and after Thanksgiving they werepermitted to date coeds. Nevertheless, manytraditions continued to be mandated including;

wearing green dinks (a small, short-billed cap) bymen and hair bows by women; carrying the"Freshman Handbook" (containing all the College'srules, songs, traditions, etc.) at all times; enteringcampus buildings only through front doors; neverstepping on any campus grass; never walking on

"Senior Walk" (the College Avenue sidewalkdirectly in front of Old Main); and wearing large,identification cards on neck-strings with thefreshman's name, home town, and major course ofstudy in large letters.[Note: Many of these freshman customs actuallycontinued well into the 1960s.]

Charlotte Ray, approved new Women's StudentGovernment Association policies, permitting coedsto attend college-approved functions until 1:00 a.m.on weekends. Her bans on smoking and drinking

alcohol remained, but both of these were commonlyignored.

Vance O. Packard 36 was initiated by PA Theta(Bond #321) on March 25, 1933.[Note: The Packard family moved to State Collegein 1923, when Vance's father took a job as afarmhand at Penn State. As the son of an employee,

the tuition discount made possible an otherwiseunaffordable college education for Vance. Thefamily lived in a house on Shortlidge Road, at thepresent-day (2004) site of Eisenhower Auditorium.]

Even though "Prohibition," the federal ban onalcohol, had been repealed in 1933, PA Thetastayed essentiallyand voluntarily"dry" duringthe 1930s. Individual members might have had abottle stashed in their desks, but no alcohol wasserved at chapter functions.

1935 Campus

John C. Jack Cosgrove, Jr. 38, was initiatedinto PA Theta on February 24, 1935, (Bond#340). His father, charter member John C.


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Cosgrove, Sr. 07, was elected to serve on thePenn State Board of Trustees.

In the spring of 1936, Vance Packard graduatedfrom Penn State with a degree in English. Heserved on the CollegianandLa Viestaffs, was a

member of Friars, and had participated in trackand cross country. [Note: His first job aftergraduation was as a $15 per week reporter for

the State College newspaper, The Centre DailyTimes.Vance later wrote for Associated Press,Boston Daily Record, American magazine, andColliers magazine. He also authored manypopular and best-seller books.]

1936Class of 40 Phikeias, including

John P. Stevens, Jr. (Bond #361)[Pen and ink sketch of PA Theta

chapter house by artist Philip Steel]

In the second half of the 1930s, monthly housebills averaged $60 to $65 [$665 to $720 in 2004dollars] and included three meals every day ofthe week. At mealtime, food was served familystyle, with a senior at the head of each table. Hewas responsible for keeping order and enforcingthe practice of good table manners. A Phikeia satat the foot of each table with the responsibilities

of pouring beverages for all others.

All chapter finances were handled by thebrothers. Dean of Mineral Industries, EdwardSteidle 11, was chapter advisor, and thehouse treasurer was required to take thechapter books to his office every month,where he would verify they had been keptaccurately.

Paddles were much in evidence and were usedliberally on PA Thetas Phikeias as penaltiesfor failures to properly perform duties, andaccording to the Phikeiasthey were also usedsometimes for no reason at all.

1937

Freshman Phikeias were permitted to move into thechapter house after only two weeks of school andwere immediately assigned a variety of chores andduties, from waiting table or washing dishes(although some brothers also did both of those) tocleaning bathrooms (considered to be the worstassignment) and other common areas of the house.

Additional assigned duties included wake up call

each morning for brothers at the times posted ontheir hallway doors, and failure to wake a brother athis designated time usually resulted in theassignment of additional household chores.

Phikeia on Eagle Patrol

Phikeias at this time had to go through a pre-initiation training periodcommonly known asHell Week, which started when the Eagle hadarrived and shit. For a week or so before HellWeek, Phikeias were assigned to Eagle Patrol each


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evening. That consisted of patrolling back andforth on the porch, armed with a toilet brush andbucket in an attempt to prevent the Eagle fromarriving. Needless to say, the Phikeias were neversuccessful, despite their diligent efforts.

When this practice started at PA Theta isunknown, but it became better organized in theearly 1930s. Some of the more distasteful anticsof Hell Weekfrom a Phikeias point of view

included: Very little sleep, which was considered to be

the most fatiguing feature of the week Wearing underwear made from potato sacks

Announcing his entrance into the chapterhouse by lying on his back with his head inthe foyer fireplace and shouting his specialHell Week namesuch as, I am Yellow

Dog #4followed by a litany of phrases asdictated by the brothers

Being subjected to a mild shockproducedby a hand-cranked generatorwhile standingnaked in a pan of water [Note: This practicewas abandoned in 1935.]

Out-of-house assignments, such as findingthe birth date of a person buried in Boalsburgor counting the windows in Mac Hall

1938 Campus

Many effects of the Great Depression remained,but, with convenient housing on campus plusgood food, PA Theta had no difficultymaintaining a full house. Standard occupancy ofthe chapter house included members or pledgesfrom four different class years.

PA Theta was very successful in intramuralathletics and was awarded permanent ownershipof two Hugo Bezdek Trophies.

[Note: Hugo Bezdek was Penn State's first Directorof the School of Physical Education and Athletics,innovator of Penn State intramural athletics,pacesetter in the development of athletic activities

for female students, and coach of the Nittany Lionfootball teams from 1918 to 1929, including the

1923 team Rose Bowl team . The highly covetedBezdek Trophy was awarded each year to theorganization with greatest participation in or

contribution to Penn State intramural and varsitysports. In 1937, it was renamed the Penn StateCollege Trophy.]

Members of PA Theta entertained its sister sorority,Delta Gamma, at an informal tea dance theafternoon of Sunday, March 20, 1938. The musicfor this affair was furnished by the chapter's newcombination radio-Victrola.

1938[Front-center is John C. Jack Cosgrove, Jr.,

Active Chapter President]

H. Edward Wagner '41 (Bond #375) was elected

PA Theta chapter president. He also served on boththe Penn State student government All-CollegeCabinet and the Student Union Board, chaired theIFC and Regional IFC, was assistant manager ofboth football and track, and was elected to Lion'sPaw, Skull and Bones, Blue Key, Phi Beta Kappa,Phi Eta Sigma, Delta Sigma Pi, and Pi Gamma Muhonorary societies.

The Class of 1940 voted a Nittany Lion sculpture asits class gift.

In 1940, the new library at the north end of themain mall, replacing Carnegie Library, wasoccupied. It remained without a name until 1950,when it was named for Fred Lewis Pattee.

19411950Phi Delta Theta continued to be well represented oncampus in the 1940s. Charles Mattern. '42 (Bond#391) was president of Skull and Bones seniorhonor society, John "Jack" Banbury '44 (Bond


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#423) was the starting halfback on the footballteam, and Charles Ridenour '43 (Bond #401) wasa leader on Penn State's wrestling team inaddition to being Eastern IntercollegiateWrestling Association champion in 1942 (121lb.) and 1943 (128 lb.).

Spring 1941

The Nittany Lion Shrine was dedicated onOctober 24, 1942, as part of homecoming events.Sculptor Heinz Warneke and stonecutter JosephGaratti created it onsite from a 13-ton block ofIndiana limestone.

1942

In 1942, The Sword and Shieldbecame the twice-yearly successor to The Quarterly, PA Theta'salumni newsletter.

On February 22, 1942, initiation into PA Thetaincluded Henry L. Yeagley '44 (Bond #414) andRaymond T. Fortunato '45 (Bond #418).

The World War II draft and enlistments reducedenrollments at all colleges as young men were

called to service, and by fall 1943, Penn State'sregular enrollment consisted of only 1,764 womenand 1,150 men.

The empty classroom seats were then filled withtrainees in several programs for the War

Department: V-12 program for the U. S. Navy andMarine Corps; flight crew training program for theU. S. Army Air Corps; and U. S. Army SpecializedTraining Program (ASTP).

All fraternity chapter houses at Penn State wereturned over to the U. S. Armed Forces in 1943 toserve as living quarters for soldiers and sailorstaking courses relating to the war effort. PA Thetaschapter house was assigned to students in the U. S.Navy's V-12 training program, and the Phisremaining at that time first moved into a residential

house in March of 1944 at 137 South AthertonStreet, adjacent to the present-day (2004) AthertonHotel.

1944

Standing in front of 137 S. Atherton St.,PA Thetasfirst war-time chapter house are: (L-R) CharlesHall 45 (Bond #417), Donald Herzog 46 (Bond

#439), Robert Scheirer 44 (Bond #407), Walter

Shaffer 47 (Bond #462), Ross Fife 46 (Bond #443)

in active duty U. S. Navy uniform, (unidentifiedcoed), and John Jack Davenport 45 (Bond

#447).

Other Phis occupying the house were Robert

Hastedt 45 (Bond #416), Gilbert Parnell 46(Bond #461), Dean McCoid 46 & 50 (Bond#460), Charles Scarborough 44 (Bond #431).

Later temporary chapter houses were at 301 S.Allen St, where Phi Delta Theta brothers shared theCody Manor rooming house with Phi SigmaKappa brothers for the summer and fall semesters


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of 1944. In late 1944, housing was shared withDelta Chi. It is unknown if this was in the chapterhouse owned by Delta Chi on Fairmount Avenueor, most likely, a temporary war-time chapterhouse at an unknown address. Regardless of that,the January 1945 chapter meeting minutes state,

After six weeks of rather frigid living, thechapter decided that the was unfit for anyonebut Eskimos, and it was decided to move to 129 S.

Frazier [now, Fraser]St., a house owned by theHotel State College.This building, a convertedresidence on the site of present-day (2004) FraserStreet Parking Garage, is the last known war-timechapter house for PA Theta.

The military programs were a boon to PennState during the lean war years. At their peakin 1943, the programs had an enrollment of

2,600 students, which, along with the regularstudent population, brought total enrollmentto 5,700 students. Because all fraternities hadbeen taken for military usage, the resultinghousing shortage necessitated curtailment ofnew student admissions, forcing malefreshmen to enroll for at least one year atmany of Pennsylvania's State Teacher'sColleges.

Occupancy by the V-12 program provided onesubstantial benefit to the PA Theta chapter house.

In compliance with its own housing regulations,the United States Government constructed thesteel exterior fire escape between the two rearwings, a significant benefit to PA Theta fromboth safety and monetary viewpoints.

1944 Barracks

In addition to the military trainees, Penn Statehad contracts with the Curtiss-WrightCorporation, Hamilton-Standard PropellerDivision of the United Aircraft Corporation,Consolidated-Vultee Corporation, and the

Glenn L. Martin Company to train women infundamental engineering skills.

In March 1945, PA Theta brothers started to makeplans for returning to the campus chapter house,which had been vacated by the Navy V-12program.

1947[Almost all these brothers were

World War II veterans.]

Following the end of WWII, the return of manyolder-and-wiser ex-GIs to Penn State introducedconspicuous alcohol for the first time to PA Thetasocial functions. Prior to January 1946, even sedate

beer parties had to be individually voted on bythe chapter, and alcohol was specifically banned formajor social functions.

The dirt floor of the basement "party room" wasexcavated deeper and knotty-pine walls, tileflooring, and a finished ceiling with recessedlighting fixtures were installed. The room became

known as The Memorial Room after a brassplaque was installed over the corner fireplace withthe following inscription:

In memory of our brothers who gave their lives

This was followed by a list of PA Theta fatalities ofboth World Wars. In addition to PA Theta'sbrothers who died serving during WWI (see 1911-1920), the chapter's WWII casualties were George


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H. Wolford '32 (Bond #266), Henry Cartin '38(Bond #357), Harold E. Fry '40 (Bond #374),Alpheus Clark '41 (Bond #385), and H. EdwardWagner, Jr. '41 (Bond #375).

The closing phrase on the plaqueIn coelo quies

est, meaning "In Heaven there is Rest"was anepitaph first used in the memoirs of Phi DeltaTheta founder John McMillan Wilson.

In 1946, the football team unanimously voted notto play their Nov. 29 regular season finale atMiami (Fla.) after Miami officials requested thatPenn State not bring its two African-Americanplayers, Dennie Hoggard and Wally Triplett, onthe trip.

1946

In the first post-war initiation ceremony, thechapter welcomed four new brothers on October27, 1946. As reported in the fall issue of TheSword and Shield, it was probably the first PATheta initiation where all the new brothers wereover 20 years old. This was because they were allWorld War II veterans returning to school.

In a special ceremony on November 16,1946, Ernst Harboe was initiated (Bond#495) as the first non-USA-born and first

non-USA-citizen member of PA Theta. Ernsthad been in the United States on a pleasuretrip in 1939 when WWII broke out, and hewas forced to return to his native Denmark tojoin the Royal Guards under King Christianthe 10th. Ernst, a master of five languages,served with the Danish armed forces until theGermans overran Denmark and then joinedthe underground resistance forces.

According to British Field Marshall BernardMontgomery, the Danish Underground was themost efficient in the world, andas Ernsthimself described itwas capable of blowingup "railroad tracks almost as soon as theGermans could repair them." Ernst served in

three different resistance groupseachassigned with different tasksfor more thanfive years before the war ended in 1945.

Effective for the fall of 1947, IFC passed a Code ofConduct prohibiting female guests from enteringany rooms above the first floor of all chapterhouses. It also banned consumption of anyalcoholic beverages at any time females werepresent. Regardless of IFC's original intent, it didnot enforce the code, and, in September, Dean PearlO. Westonthe new Dean of Womenproclaimed

that sophomore coeds, in addition to all freshmen,were banned from any fraternity house at any time.She also threatened the same policy for juniors andseniors if fraternities failed to follow the new IFCcode.

Even Dean Warnock agreed that fraternitiesneeded better controls, stating "I can't see thatthe fraternities have anybody but themselves toblame for this action." However, IFCconvincingly appealed to both deans and inOctober, four weeks after its imposition, they

consented to repeal the ban based on theiropinions that the lesson had been learned.Following that, periodic visits by agents of thetwo deans were made to assure reasonablecompliance of the code by fraternities.

Unintentionally confirming the validity of DeanWeston's and Dean Warnock's opinions offraternities, a more severe form of pledge training(hazing) was instituted by the ex-GI brothers,including more demanding and onerous duties andweekly, or more frequent, lineups where Phikeias

were grilled on fraternity facts and the full names ofall brothers in front of a roaring fireplace. Hazingof a Phikeia was never dangerous, but it could be inthe form of a totally absurd assignment, such asbeing instructed to walk across campus late at nightto the Sheep Barn on Shortlidge Road betweenCurtin Road and Park Avenue, sneak into thefenced yard, collect a supply of dried sheep feces,and then make a necklace out of them using alength of string and a paper clip as a needle.


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Near the end of their year-long pledge period, thePhikeias fearfully awaited the arrival of "theEagle" and the start of Hell Week. Some ex-GIPhikeias said it had some aspects similar to basictraining in the Army. The open stairwell made a perfect venue for

the "egg drop trick," a two-story drop of rawegg to supine pledges with open mouths onthe first floor.

Well remembered is the squatting walk upthree flights of stairs to get a mouthful ofalum water and then back down the stairs toextinguish the fire in the living roomfireplace.

A relatively innocuous feature of Hell Weekwas the requirement for each Phikeia to carryan onion with him at all times and take alarge bite of it whenever he saw a brother

between classes on campus. Since Vidaliaonions had not yet made their appearance inState College, Phikeias developed a way tofake a bite of the onion and mimic a chewingaction. Most observations of brothers were ata distance, so this ruse worked a largemajority of occasions.

Toward the end of Hell Week, Phikeias weregiven after-dark scavenger hunt assignmentsand told not to come back without thedesignated items.

1947

However, in stark contrast to the foolishness andabsurdity of hazing and Hell Week antics, socialgraces were plainly evident at PA Theta. Brothersand pledges politely waited outside the diningroom draperies until the "2ndbell" chimes wererung. Table manners were taught to new Phikeias,seniors sat at the head of each dining table tostrictly control the tone of conversations and

general atmosphere by levying fines at their solediscretion. Phikeias were required to carry matchesat all times and promptly offer to light an observedcigarette of either a brother or his date.

Nationwide, Phis were well represented in

government including holding staterepresentative and senatorial positions, cabinetposts, and governorships. Benjamin Harrison,the 19thmember to sign the Bond of Phi DeltaTheta at Miami University and an early andactive leader in the fraternity, had become the23rdpresident of the United States, and Adlai E.Stevenson, Sr. (KY Alpha, 1860) served asPresident Grover Cleveland's vice presidentfrom 1893-1897.

Formal dancesMiami Triad and Christmas

were big events.

On December 26, 1948, the Phi Delta ThetaGeneral Fraternity celebrated the centennialanniversary of its founding at Miami University inOxford OH. Now an international fraternity, it hadgrown to 110 chapters and had distinguished itselfas one of the strongest within the fraternity system.Phi Delta Theta was first in many areas, includingbeing the first to establish a fraternity magazine asearly as 1874.

Penn States Phi faculty deans included EdwardSteidle, Pa Theta '11 (School of Mineral Industries)and Carl P. Schott (School of Physical Educationand Recreation).

In December 1949, PA Theta won theInterfraternity Council's Outstanding FraternityAward. The award was based on extracurricularactivity, scholarship, scholarship improvement, andathletics. IFC issues of the day were housemothersfor all fraternity houses, pledge hazing, and wetbars in the fraternity houses.

In 1949: KDKA TV channel 2 in Pittsburgh, PA(CBS) begins broadcasting; 1st Jewish family TVshow "Goldbergs" premieres on CBS; J. EdgarHoover gives Shirley Temple a tear gas fountainpen; RCA introduces the 45 RPM record; JoeDiMaggio becomes 1st $100,000/year baseballplayer (NY Yankees); Joe Louis retires asheavyweight boxing champ; Russia stops traintraffic to West-Berlin.


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First string Penn State football players werequarterback Vincent O'Bara '51 (Bond #524), andoffensive linemen Arthur Betts '52 (Bond #546),and Edward Hoover '52 (Bond #547). SophomorePhikeia William Leonard '53 (Bond #557) scoredthe winning touchdown in the 1950 Pitt game.

1949 Christmas Dinner-Dance

[Note: For over 10 years following World War

II, PA Theta alumnus John T. Hi Henry 08

(Bond #27)permitted the brothers to cut hemlock

boughs from the forested portions of his land to

use as decorations for the chapter's annual

Christmas Dinner-Dance. Each year, several

or moretruckloads of branches were needed to

frame the inside and outside of the main

entranceway plus completely cover all the wood

trim surrounding the openings between all first-

floor rooms.]

The influx of World War II ex-GIs haddiminished by 1949 and, following thecompletion of McElwain and Simmonsdorms, freshmen women were againpermitted to matriculate on the Penn Statecampus. This was followed in the fall of 1950with the admission of male freshmanstudents, many of whom moved into newlyconstructed men's dormsThompson,McKee, and Hamiltonin the West Halls

complex.

19511960Raymond Fortunato '47 negotiated anarrangement for the Penn State football team tobe housed and fed at the PA Theta chapter houseduring pre-season practice time. Marie Hartigancooked all their meals, which they admittedlyenjoyed very much. The resulting profit helpedsupport the chapter and bring it out of debt

For the spring semester of 1951, Marie Hartiganwas hired as cook to replace "Mike" Morgan, a ladyof some significant size and even more significanttemperament.[Note: Marie's meals were considered to be a greatimprovement over Mike Morgan's, and Marie

cooked for PA Theta for over 10 years.]

Marie Hartigan & Class of 56

An avid bingo player at the American Legion inHuntingdon, Marie routinely won turkeys and hamsand then cooked them for Sunday noon dinners atPA Theta. She resided in the private apartment overthe kitchen and, with the lone exception of Sundayevening meal, she prepared breakfast, lunch, anddinner every day of the week. Marie's Sundaydinners at noon were often attended and appreciatedby girlfriends and parents of the brothers.

Phikeia chores included cleaning all common-areasof the house (first floor, hallways, bathrooms) andtheir own rooms (shared with two or morebrothers), bed making for one or more assignedbrothers, painting, caring for the lawn andshrubbery in the fall and spring, and shovelingsnow in the winter. Window cleaning was alwaysperformed with Glass Wax, the favorite cleaningagent of House Manager John Berry '52 (Bond#548).

Pledge duties also included waking up brothers

and making sure they were awake and stayedawake. Affiliate Brother John Banks '51wasconsidered by the Phikeias to be the worstwake-up assignment, as the only way to bereasonably sure John was awake was to get himto a sitting position with a lit cigarette in hismouth. However, even then an importantsecondary responsibility was to make sure hedidn't fall back onto his mattress with theburning cigarette.


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In response to North Koreas earlier invasion ofSouth Korea (June 1950), Brothers JohnDaugherty '51 (Bond #527), Daniel Grove '52(Bond #542), Gordon "Skip" Harrington '52(Bond #545), and James Stevens '53 (Bond #560)

were called to active duty with the PennsylvaniaAir National Guard 112thAir Warning andControl Squadron.

PA Theta won the 1950-51 Intramural SportsTrophy. William Aiken '51 (Bond #526), andJack Pickett '52 (Bond #543), the defendinghorseshoes champions, reached the final matchbefore being eliminated and were potent, asusual, when they paired together on thebadminton court. A strong track team clinchedsecond place with Edward Gage '53 (Bond #555),

Ernest "Bud" Coleman '53 (Bond #559), VincentO'Bara '51, Donald "Mike" Reynolds '51 (Bond#530), John Reese '51 (Bond #525), and WilliamHickey '50 (Bond #518).

The swimming team was led by AffiliateBrother Malcolm Skove '52, with BudColeman '53, and class of '54 Phikeias JosephGarrity (Bond #575), Ronald Miller (Bond#578), Peter Huey (Bond #567), and ThomasSmith (Bond #564). Phikeia Joseph Garrityalso sparked the basketball team along with

John Millen '54 (Bond #572). Earl Hower '53(Bond #561), winner of the heavyweightcrown, led a boxing team including class of'54 Phikeias William Selvig (Bond #570),Peter Huey, and Douglas Cassel (Bond#568).

Arthur Betts '52 was elected co-captain of thePenn State football team. The Associated PressAll Pennsylvania Small Football Team includedEdward Hoover '52, who accompanied NittanyLion football coach Rib Engle to the annual Blue-

Gray game. Harry Carrol Chapman '52 (Bond#536) led the Blue Band as drum major. PhikeiaClifford Holgate '54 (Bond #569) served as teammanager for the soccer team and PhikeiaRoderick Snyder '54 (Bond #563) was on thefreshman team. Daniel Grove '52 was a lacrosseletterman and Robert Bowers '53 (Bond #556)captained the golf team. Phikeia H. R. "Hap"Irvin '54 (Bond #565) traveled to Iran with CoachBill Jeffrey's soccer team to play some

international goodwill matches, and Phikeia Robert"Red" Hollen '54 (Bond #571) finished among thefirst four in every cross country meet. PhikeiasPeter Huey '54 and Douglas Cassel '54 were strongcontenders for the Penn State wrestling team.

The IM trophy was proudly displayed on top of thebrand new Motorola Radio-Phonograph, a gift fromthe senior classes of 1950 and 1951.

The $10,000 mortgage from 1929 was satisfied onJune 23, 1951.

Except those who had a "steady" girlfriend backhome or at another college, Phikeias were requiredto obtain dates for major social events.

On December 10, 1951, the first half of the class

of 54 was initiated.

Penn State coeds were not allowed above the firstfloor of the chapter house and, except for somewine at a formal dinner, consummation of alcoholicbeverages was strictly consigned to the MemorialRoom.

Chapter treasurer Charles Schutte '52 (Bond #534)reported that PA Theta was finally able to pull itselfout of debt, with a bank balance of $400 [$2800 in2004 dollars] and no accounts payable. However, it

was necessary to increase the monthly house bill by$1 [$6.84 in 2004 dollars], raising it to $79 [$540in 2004 dollars].

1952

At the end of Hell Week in the spring of 1952, thepledge trip for Phikeia Donald Herbein Peirce '54(Bond #574) was to go to Washington DC and getthe autograph of the Chief Justice of the UnitedStates Supreme Court, Fred M. Vinson, who was aPhi (KY Alpha, Centre College).[Note: Don was the most politically involvedmember of his class, having been elected president

of the sophomore class.]


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Early Saturday morning, Don arrived at theSupreme Court Building in Washington DC.The building was closed, but a guard told himwhere Justice Vinson lived. Upon arriving atthe Chief Justice's apartment and knocking on

his door, Don asked to see the Chief Justice,and a few minutes later he indeed did appear.

After Don explained why he was therebecause Justice Vinson was a Phi and Donwas a Phikeia who was on a Hell WeekassignmentJustice Vinson picked up one ofhis business cards, signed his name, andhanded the card to Don. The card's onlyprinted words were "The Chief Justice." Hethen smiled, shook Don's hand and wishedhim good luck.

Charles Ridenour '43 was named head wrestlingcoach at Penn, and James Gehrdes '51 (Bond#519) was appointed assistant track coach at theU. S. Naval Academy.

In November 1952, Wayne Davis, AssistantSecretary of the General Fraternity, visited PATheta and made several suggestions to ChapterAdvisor Robert Koser '48 (Bond #399)concerning collection of house bills and includingsome community service projects in PA Theta's

pledge training program. He also recommendedthat the PA Theta alumni corporation "startinvestigating the possibility of building a newchapter house."

PA Theta won the Intramural Sports Trophy(1951-52) for the second straight year, withstrong finishes in many team sports, especiallythe championship volleyball team and thesecond-place soccer team, led by Phikeia GalenRobbins '55 (Bond #583). The strong swimmingteam, led by captain Joe Garrity '54 (back-stroke

and relay), included Tom Smith '54 and BudColeman '53 (free-style and relay) and RonaldMiller '54 (diving), but they lost a close 20-21match in the semi-finals. Football and basketballteams reached the quarter-finals, Edward Hoover'52 took the handball singles championshipandthen teamed with Arthur Betts '52 to capture thedoubles title. Phikeia Thayer "Tad" Potter '55(Bond #592) advanced to the final round of histennis flight before losing a close match.

Football players William Leonard '53 and TheodoreKemmerer '53 (Bond #558) were the "Toe andFoot" respectively for Rip Engle's 7-2-1 footballteam. Halfback Bill Leonard kicked 18 consecutiveextra points (with the old-fashioned, straight-on

kicking style) for a record 21 out of 23 and addedtwo field goals for a total of 27 points to becomethe team's leading scorer. Ted "Baxter" Kemmererhandled the punting chores with a 36.6 yardaverage. His greatest kicks were 61 yards, in aNittany Lion rout of Pitt, and a tremendous 80 yardpunt over Penn's safety man to set up Penn State'swinning touchdown.

1953 Spring Week

[Note: Spring Week, a celebration offorgetting the winter past and the final exams tocome, has witnessed manychanges.Originally, it included a carnival, a paradewith bands and floats, a faculty talent show,sports contests (including donkey basketball

and he-man events), concerts, the coronation ofMiss Penn State, and the Greek Sing finals.

The first carnival was held in 1949 on South

Allen Street in downtown State College. In1951, the carnival moved onto campus, first in

the parking lot behind the Sigma Chi chapterhouse and then to the present-day (2004) areaof South Halls. A Mad-Hatter Parade was heldon New Beaver Field, and many fraternitiesjoined with sororities to produce games or skitsfor the carnival.

In 1958, the parade was transformed into afloat parade by fraternities, sororities,honorary societies, and residence hall interest


30/57

groups, and it continues to be the major eventfor each Spring Week.]

Dean of the School of Mineral Industries, EdwardSteidle '11, retired from Penn State and washonored with a testimonial dinner at the chapter

house on April 20, 1953. As reported by JackDiehl '54 (Bond #566) in The Sword and Shield,"The chapter had difficulty in obtaining a speakerthat would be suitable for the occasion, so in lieuof a guest speaker Dean Steidle himself talked on'What Phi Delta Theta has meant to me and myfamily.' He also presented to the chapter library abook which he recently completedMineral

Forecast 2000 A.D.

Saturday afternoon Dixieland jam sessions werefrequently as popular as the evening parties.

1953

Chapter treasurer Robert "Red" Hollen '54reported that the monthly house bill wouldremain at $79 [$540 in 2004 dollars].

The chapter's first television set was donated byThayer "Tad" Potter '55. The most popular showwas the Pabst Blue-Ribbon Friday Night Fights.

1953

In 1953, The Pennsylvania State College becameThe Pennsylvania State University under theadministration of President Milton S. Eisenhower,younger brother of U.S. President Dwight D.Eisenhower.

In a parallel action and in reaction to PresidentMilton Eisenhower's insistence on having apostal address other than State College,borough residents voted down a proposed namechange for the town. Following that, PennState's application to postal authorities for acampus post office was approved in unusuallyquick timeless than two monthsconceivably because of swift and effectivecommunications that passed between PresidentEisenhower in Old Main and PresidentEisenhower in the oval office.

PA Theta again was awarded the IFC outstandingFraternity trophy in the spring of 1953, but wasforced to share it with Beta Theta Pi. The twohouses, having tied with the same number of points,planned to keep the trophy for one semester each.Retiring IFC President Art Rosfeld '53 (Bond #554)presented the trophy to chapter president RobertBowers '53.

Succeeding Robert Koser '42, Henry Yeagley '44(Bond #414) was appointed as Chapter Advisor in

the spring of 1954. Hank had played varsity soccerand tennis while enrolled at Penn State, althoughhis studies were interrupted by serving three yearsin the U. S. Air Force during World War II. Hisemployment was with Penn State as AdministrativeAssistant to the Director of the Department ofPhysical Plant, which made negotiations with thatdepartment much easier.

Bruce Schroeder '54 (Bond #576) was appointedphotography editor of both Froth (campus humormagazine) and La Vie (year book).

Spring "Panty Raids" were outlawed by Penn State

administrators in under threat of expulsion for any

participants.

In January 1953, NFL Dallas Texans become theBaltimore Coltsnow (2004) Indianapolis Colts.


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1953 Bowery Ball

Social chairman, Gordon "Skip" Harrington '52-

54 (who had been delayed to class of '54 becauseof military service during the Korean War)

reported the recent Bowery Ball had been quitesuccessful. With tongue firmly planted in cheek,he closed by stating, The chapter wasn't onsocial probation, nobody had been lost in all thesawdust, and 80 pounds of shrimp had beendevoured, mostly with shells still intact."[Note: The original tradition of Bowery Ballstarted as a Gay 90s costume party.]

As the first ever nationally televised

congressional inquiry, the 1954 "gavel to gavel"

broadcasts of the Army-McCarthy hearings on

the ABC and DuMont networks from late Aprilto June preempted many day-time study hours,

including during finals week.

On May 10, 1954, a banquet commemorating the

50thanniversary of installation as a chapter of Phi

Delta Theta Fraternity was held at the chapter

house. The oldest attending PA Theta alumnus

was John T. "Hi" Henry '08 (Bond #27).

In the spring of 1954, John B. Millen, Jr. 54 andThayer R. Tad Potter 55 won the Penn StateIntramural Tennis Doubles Tournament, althoughJohn later muted his contribution by stating, Ienjoyed watching him (Tad) play.

Treasurer William Kutz '56 (Bond #598) reported

that, while the kitchen operations were in the

black, the other house affairs might cause the

chapter to "run a little into the red." His

justification for this included the fact that the

house was becoming older and many repairs were

needed. Also, too many members were living

outside

1st 100 years, pa theta, 4th edition, illustrated

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